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Seeing The Every Day

Have you ever heard of the magazine Seeing The Every Day? I had never heard of it, but a friend of mine gave me a copy a couple months ago, and I have fallen in love with it. I think that one of the reasons why it has resonated with me so much is because it focuses on how "small ordinary acts" shape our relationships and also affect our influence in strengthening the development of others.

This is exactly what what I love about teaching families about PLAY Project. We are focusing on relationships as we help their children with their development. One of the first techniques I teach families is called 'Being With' and that's exactly what it is. It's not about telling the child what to do, or how to do it, it's first just about being with them. Not just being there physically, but being present. Seeing what their interests are, seeing what their intentions are, and seeing what their ideas are. They may not have the verbal skills to tell us what they're thinking, but we can learn to observe and have rich interactions with them around what may feel like a very ordinary moment.

Interactions with a child with autism may sometimes be unpredictable, but we can still embrace those moments and rejoice in them. It's not about the end product, who cares if the art project doesn't go as planned. It's about the interactions we're having, it's about the relationship that we're building. At times you may not feel like you're accomplishing much, but I can promise you that through your loving interactions with your child, you are doing more than you can even imagine was possible. Nothing can replace those "ordinary moments" with the ones you love.

I want to share one of my favorite quotes from Seeing The Every Day, Issue 25. As you read it, you may think that your child doesn't have "conversations" with you, but I want you to think of a conversation as those back and forth interactions you have with one another, it doesn't matter if words are involved.

"As we focus on one another, very ordinary moments, even conversations, become significant opportunities to do what means the very most -- to come to better know and care for each other."
You can check out Seeing The Every Day at www.seeingtheeveryday.com.

Have you ever heard of the magazine Seeing The Every Day? I had never heard of it, but a friend of mine gave me a copy a couple months ago, and I have fallen in love with it. I think that one of the reasons why it has resonated with me so much is because it focuses on how "small ordinary acts" shape our relationships and also affect our influence in strengthening the development of others.

This is exactly what what I love about teaching families about PLAY Project. We are focusing on relationships as we help their children with their development. One of the first techniques I teach families is called 'Being With' and that's exactly what it is. It's not about telling the child what to do, or how to do it, it's first just about being with them. Not just being there physically, but being present. Seeing what their interests are, seeing what their intentions are, and seeing what their ideas are. They may not have the verbal skills to tell us what they're thinking, but we can learn to observe and have rich interactions with them around what may feel like a very ordinary moment.

Interactions with a child with autism may sometimes be unpredictable, but we can still embrace those moments and rejoice in them. It's not about the end product, who cares if the art project doesn't go as planned. It's about the interactions we're having, it's about the relationship that we're building. At times you may not feel like you're accomplishing much, but I can promise you that through your loving interactions with your child, you are doing more than you can even imagine was possible. Nothing can replace those "ordinary moments" with the ones you love.

I want to share one of my favorite quotes from Seeing The Every Day, Issue 25. As you read it, you may think that your child doesn't have "conversations" with you, but I want you to think of a conversation as those back and forth interactions you have with one another, it doesn't matter if words are involved.

"As we focus on one another, very ordinary moments, even conversations, become significant opportunities to do what means the very most -- to come to better know and care for each other."
You can check out Seeing The Every Day at www.seeingtheeveryday.com.